Former Senator who represented Kaduna Central at the 8th National Assembly, Shehu Sani, has said the persistent challenges facing Northern Nigeria are rooted in decades of leadership failure, not the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Sani made the remark on Tuesday while receiving members of the Tijjaniyya Grassroots Mobilization and Empowerment Initiative of Nigeria (TIGMEIN) during a courtesy visit to his Kaduna residence.
The former lawmaker said it was disingenuous for some northern elites to blame President Tinubu, who has been in office for just two years, for problems that have spanned decades, citing missed opportunities and poor leadership by previous northern leaders.
“We had Buhari in power for eight years, but the North remained backward and impoverished. Industries like KTL, UNTL, Nortex, Arewa Textiles, and others were abandoned. Our leaders lacked vision and pursued development only for their families,” he said.
He described the failure of past administrations to revive moribund industries, fix critical infrastructure, and invest in education, healthcare, and security as the true source of underdevelopment in the region.
According to him, hopes were high when a northerner assumed office in 2015, but the expectations of development were dashed, leaving the region with worsening poverty, insecurity, and unemployment.
“The North’s problems didn’t begin two years ago when Tinubu took over. They stem from selfish power struggles and missed opportunities,” he said.
He further accused past northern leaders of looting public resources, abandoning major projects, and failing to represent the region’s interests in national development.
Sani questioned why key infrastructure projects such as the Kaduna–Abuja road, Minna–Abuja road, Lokoja–Abuja expressway, Ajaokuta Steel Company, and the Mambilla Power Project remained either uncompleted or neglected.
“Today, they want to deceive you that Tinubu is your problem. But ask yourself did these bad hospitals, failed roads, insecurity, and poverty start just 24 months ago?” he asked.
The senator warned against attempts by some disgraced political figures to return to power, urging the North to resist political propaganda and reject failed leaders seeking a comeback.
“No matter how bad things may seem now, know this — your brothers from the North failed you. And if they return to power, nothing will change,” he declared.